Correspondence
by Celinarose
Summary: A series of letters between two former friends.


Dear Mr Thomas Riddle Jr.,

It seems to me that you did not quite comprehend the meaning of my words when I refused your offer.

Therefore, let me reiterate my point. I have _no intention whatsover_ in joining your group of Death Eaters. Honestly I do not know why you would think so in any case. I do not believe in your ideals, nor will I ever do so. Therefore please do not speak to me about this ever again.

In fact, I would appreciate it if you never spoke to me at all.

Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

* * *

 _Dear Minnie,_

 _It hurts me to hear you speak like this. What happened to our friendship? I remember you saying it was meant to be forever._ _I hardly assumed you to be the type of person who would go back on their word like that. You disappoint me, Minnie._ _And you calling me by my full name! As if we did not know each other. Come now, this kind of behaviour hardly befits you. Do be a sport._ _You really ought to reconsider, Minerva. mean it for your own good. You are a smart witch, and a brave one. We could use someone like you in our ranks. Tell me what I must do to prove our cause to you._

 _Yours always,_

 _Tom._

* * *

Dear Mr Thomas Riddle Jr.,

Clearly, you either do not wish to actually read what i wrote to you, or you choose to disregard it.

I believe you misunderstood me. My friendship was not meant for a man named Lord Voldemort, who chooses to go about destroying other people's lives. It was meant for Tom Riddle, someone who was a very different man from the one you are now. You are the one who has changed, who has gone back on his word. It is laughable that you now blame me of the same.

 _You_ disappoint _me_. You act like a monster now, and I do not understand it. I do not understand _you._ But I know Dumbledore was right to not give you the Defence Against the Dark Arts position. You would have created havoc. In fact, I believe you might have ended up teaching the Dark Arts themselves, instead of Defence.

Also, I see now why you want me on your side. I had thought you were perhaps honouring the friendship you kept mentioning. But now I know it is just for your own gain. Having the Hogwarts' Transfiguration Mistress on your side would be an advantage both in terms of skill and publicity, wouldn't it? Which is why I am determined to never let something like that happen.

So if you really want to prove to me that you are right, tell me why. Why are you doing this? Why hurt the innocents for no good reason? If your answers are satisfactory to me, I will reconsider.

Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

* * *

 _Dear Minnie,_

 _This hardly seems fair does it? I choose to address you by a childhood nickname and you act extremely formal. Next time, 'Tom' will suffice I think._ _I did read what you wrote. And I chose to give value to it. Which is why I asked what I needed to do. In case you were unaware, I am not in the habit of doing something like that for just anyone. If you didn't know that, now you do. Perhaps it will make a difference in your opinion of me._ _You are right, Minnie. I_ have _changed. How can you expect anyone to remain the same over ten years? I can hardly believe it has been that long anyway. But as I hope you will soon see, this change is for the better and not the worse._ _For someone who claims not to understand me, you certainly do a good job of knowing my moves and my motives. Perhaps I would have taught the Dark Arts, as you said. But let us not dwell on never-have-beens._ _I will not lie, for I could never lie to you anyway, and say that I did not want you to join us for the purposes you listed, but there is more. You are special, Miner a. Special to me. I would never treat you as my inferior. If you come with me, you will be my equal._

 _"Why?" you ask. Can you not see what I am doing is for the betterment of the wizarding world? Can you not see that I am only trying to help by getting rid of these Mudbloods? They are like leeches, gaining off of our magical energy; depriving us, who truly deserve it. They are nothing more than dirt under our feet. Surely you are too clever to not know this? Stop playing the fool, Minnie. I know you do believe in me._ _Leave that foolish old coot and his foolish ideas behind. You know there will be a war soon. Consider this your last invitation to the winning side._ _Yours always,_ _Tom_

Dear 'Tom',

I firmly believe camaraderie such as first names or nicknames must be restricted for friends only. As you must know by now, we are most certainly not friends.

A part of me wishes you were telling the truth, but you forget I learnt to see through your charms long ago. If you expected my opinion of you to change, you were wrong, and I feel almost sorry for you. Not that you deserve my pity, however.

I do not resent change. Everyone and everything changes. But I cannot buy into your statement of you becoming better. Simply because i can see otherwise, with my own eyes. I read the Prophet, you know. These days, you are all that is featured in it.

You mistake my assumptions for familiarity. I do not know you anymore. And I do not wish to, either, judging from what you have written to me of late.

You are selfish. You say you do not lie to me, and your very next sentence is smeared slick, intending to entice me. I have no wish to be equal or even comparable to you. I would rather be dead are not doing this to help anyone but yourself. All of it stems from your childhood at the orphanage. Your hate for Muggles and Muggleborns disgusts me. They are human. And it seems to me you are no longer one.

Never write to me again, _Tom._ I do not wish to correspond with a monster.

Minerva McGonagall

* * *

 _Very well, Minerva. You made your choice. Pray that you do not regret it._

Yours _Always,_

 _Tom_

* * *

 ** _Notes: For the Golden Snitch Around the World Competiton. Prompt: Epistolary short story_**

 _ **Anime Week: Violet Evergarden: Write an emotionally charged (in either a good or bad way) letter!fic**_

 _ **Jurassic Event: Write about a character who acts exactly as they appear, despite a well-meaning person trying to change them.**_

 _ **Ollivander's Wand Shop: Write about a dark character**_

 _ **Doll Event: Military, multiple years: Write a story set during either wizarding war or another conflict.**_


End file.
